On the feast of the Intercession of the Mother of God, Metropolitan Alexander celebrated the Liturgy at the Representation of the Metropolitan District in Moscow

October 14, 2022 is the Feast of the Intercession of Our Most Holy Lady Theotokos and Ever-Virgin Mary.

The Feast of the Intercession of the Mother of God was established in Russia during the reign of the right-believing Prince Andrei Yuryevich Bogolyubsky. The basis was the miracle of 910, the description of which is preserved in the life of St. Andrew of Constantinople, Christ for the Holy Fool. When the pagan barbarians besieged Constantinople, the inhabitants of the city gathered in the Blachernae Church to pray to God for protection from enemies. During the service in the church, the Mother of God miraculously appeared and as a sign that she gives Constantinople her protection, she covered the worshipers with her robe - she spread her head cover over the believers. By the intercession of the Queen of Heaven the city was saved and the enemy fled in fear from the walls of Constantinople.

Metropolitan Alexander of Astana and Kazakhstan celebrated the Divine Liturgy in the church in the name of the Holy Martyrs Faith, Hope, Love and Sophia at the Patriarchal Compound of the city of Moscow - the Representation of the Metropolitan District of the Russian Orthodox Church in the Republic of Kazakhstan.

The Primate of the Orthodox Church of Kazakhstan was co-served by: Viceroy of the Head of the Kazakh Metropolitan District in the Chimkent diocese, Hieromonk Khrisanf (Konoplev), elected Bishop of Chimkent and Turkestan; Archpriest Oleg Kalmykov, Dean of the Lisakovsky Church District of the Kostanay Diocese, Hieromonk Anthony (Drobyazko), Assistant to the Head of the Kazakhstani Metropolitan District, Archpriest Lev Aznovaryan, Deacon Anatoly Ledenev, Deacon Roman Frolov.

The choir of the Church of the Martyrs Faith, Hope, Love and Sophia sang under the direction of Anna Rozhnova.

Employees of the Representation, patrons of the Patriarchal Metochion and parishioners of the church prayed in the church.

A prayer was made for the restoration of peace, which is held in all churches of the Russian Orthodox Church with the blessing of His Holiness Patriarch Kirill of Moscow and All Russia.

The sermon after the communion verse was delivered by Archpriest Lev Aznovarian.

At the end of the Liturgy, the glorification of the Most Holy Theotokos took place before the icon of the Intercession of the Queen of Heaven, after which Metropolitan Alexander sprinkled the congregation with holy water and delivered a sermon.

“In the life of the Church of Christ, in the historical destinies of countries and peoples, in the lives of the saints of God, in the life of every believer, one can see the saving power of the Most Holy Theotokos. Chosen from all people, She became the Mother of the Savior and forever became the source of divine gifts for the entire universe. St. Gregory the Theologian says: “Each of the elect is given partial grace, the Virgin is given the fullness of grace.” Celebrating and glorifying the Intercession of the Most Holy Theotokos, singing prayers and lighting candles, we must remember that our best praise of the Mother of God is life according to the gospel commandments. “Do whatever he tells you” (John 2:5), the Mother of the Savior said at the wedding in Cana of Galilee, addressing the participants in the wedding celebration. She addresses these words to each of us, calling to listen to the Lord Jesus Christ and to fulfill His commands. The Monk John of Damascus recalls that the Mother of God “is grieved and grieved at every evil, rejoices at every virtue as if it were her own gift.” She herself, being not only the Mother of Christ, but also His faithful disciple, She also expects us to hear the word of God and keep it (see Luke 11:28).” From the sermon of Metropolitan Alexander.